1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to an automated tunnel-type laser scanning package identification and measuring system arranged about a high-speed conveyor structure used in diverse package routing and transport applications, and also a method of identifying and measuring packages labeled with bar code symbols.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In many environments, there is a great need to automatically identify and measure objects (e.g. packages, parcels, products, luggage, etc.) as they are transported along a conveyor structure. While over-the-head laser scanning systems are effective in scanning upwardly-facing bar codes on conveyed objects, there are many applications where it is not practical or otherwise feasible to ensure that bar code labels are upwardly-facing during transportation under the scanning station.
Various types of xe2x80x9ctunnelxe2x80x9d scanning systems have been proposed so that bar codes can be scanned independently of their orientation within scanning volume of the system. One such prior art tunnel scanning system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,714 to Knowles. In this prior art scanning system, a plurality of single scanline scanners are orientated about a conveyor structure in order to provide a limited degree of omni-directional scanning within the xe2x80x9ctunnel-likexe2x80x9d scanning environment. Notably, however, prior art tunnel scanning systems, including the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,714, are incapable of scanning bar code systems in a true omni-directional sense, i.e. independent of the direction that the bar code faces as it is transported along the conveyor structure. At best, prior art scanning systems provide omni-directional scanning in the plane of the conveyor belt or in portions of planes orthogonal thereto. However, true omnidirectional scanning along the principal planes of a large 3-D scanning volume has not been hitherto possible.
Also, while numerous systems have been proposed for automatically identifying and measuring the dimensions and weight of packages along a high-speed conveyor, prior art systems have been very difficult to manufacture, maintain, and operate in a reliable manner without the use of human supervision.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for an improved tunnel-type automated laser scanning package identification/measuring system and a method of identifying and measuring packages transported along a high-speed conveyor system, while avoiding the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art scanning systems and methodologies.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel tunnel-type automated package identification and measuring system that is free of the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art tunnel-type laser scanning systems and methodologies.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein an omni-directional laser scanning tunnel is used to read bar codes on packages entering the tunnel, while a package dimensioning subsystem is used to capture information about the package prior to entry into the tunnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein Laser Detecting And Ranging (LADAR-based) scanning methods are used to capture two-dimensional range data maps of the space above a conveyor belt structure, and two dimensional image contour tracing methods are used to extract package dimension data therefrom.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein the package dimensioning subsystem is realized as a LADAR-based package imaging and dimensioning unit (i.e. subsystem) supported above the conveyor belt structure of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem produces a synchronized amplitude-modulated laser beam that is automatically scanned across the width of the conveyor belt structure and, during each scan thereacross, detects and processes the reflected laser beam in order to capture a row of raw range (and optionally reflection-intensity) information that is referenced with respect to a polar-type coordinate system symbolically-embedded within the LASAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the rows of range data captured by the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem are continuously loaded into a preprocessing data buffer, one row at a time, and processed in real-time using window-type convolution kernels that smooth and edge-detect the raw range data and thus improve its quality for subsequent dimension data extraction operations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically subtracts detected background information (including noise) from the continuously updated range data map as to accommodate for changing environmental conditions and enable high system performance independent of background lighting conditions.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically buffers consecutively captured rows of smoothed/edge-detected range data to provide a range data map of the space above the conveyor belt, and employs two-dimensional image contour tracing techniques to detect image contours within the buffered range data map, indicative of packages being transported through the laser scanning tunnel system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the indices (m,n) of the computed contours in order to detect vertices associated with polygonal-shaped objects extracted from the range data map, which are representative of packages or like objects being transported through the laser scanning tunnel system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the m and n indices of the detected vertices associated with the computed contours in order to detect candidates for corner points associated with the corners of a particular package being transported through the laser scanning tunnel system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the m and n indices of detected corner point candidates in order to reduce those corner point candidates down to those most likely to be the corners of a regular-shaped polygonal object (e.g. six sided box).
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the m and n indices of the corner points extracted from the range data map in order to compute the surface area of the package represented by the contours traced therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the m and n indices of the corner points extracted from the range data map in order to compute the x, y and z coordinates corresponding to the corners of the package represented by the contours traced therein, referenced relative to a Cartesian-type global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the automated package identification and measuring subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the m and n indices of the corner points extracted from the range data map in order to compute the average height of the package represented by the contours traced therein, referenced relative to the Cartesian-type global coordinate reference system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem employs a polygonal-type laser scanning mechanism for scanning an amplitude-modulated laser beam across the width of the conveyor belt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such an automated package identification and measuring subsystem, wherein the LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem employs a holographic-type laser scanning mechanism for scanning an amplitude-modulated laser beam across the width of the conveyor belt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein corner-projected orthogonal laser scanning patterns employed therein provide for enhanced reading of ladder and picket fence oriented bar codes on packages moving through the tunnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein mathematical models are created on a real-time basis for both the geometry of the package and the position of the laser scanning beam used to read the bar code symbol thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fully automated package identification and measuring system, wherein the mathematical models are analyzed to determine if collected and queued package identification data is spatially and/or temporally correlated with package measurement data using vector-based ray-tracing methods, homogeneous transformations, and objectoriented decision logic so as to enable simultaneous tracking of multiple packages being transported through the scanning tunnel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which a plurality of holographic laser scanning subsystems are mounted from a scanner support framework, arranged about a high-speed conveyor belt, and arranged so that each scanning subsystem projects a highly-defined 3-D omni-directional scanning volume with a large depth-of-field, above the conveyor structure so as to collectively provide omni-directional scanning with each of the three principal scanning planes of the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which each holographic laser scanning subsystem projects a highly-defined 3-D omni-directional scanning volume that has a large depth-of-field and is substantially free of spatially and temporally coincident scanning planes, to ensure substantially zero crosstalk among the numerous laser scanning channels provided within each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, in which a split-type conveyor is used with a gap disposed between its first and second conveyor platforms, for mounting of an omni-directional projection-type laser scanning subsystem that is below the conveyor platforms and ends substantially the entire width of the conveyor platform.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a plurality of holographic laser scanners are arranged about the conveyor system as to produce a bidirectional scanning pattern along the principal axes of a three-dimensional laser scanning volume.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a system, in which each holographic laser scanner employed in the system projects a three-dimensional laser scanning volume having multiple focal planes and a highly confined geometry extending about a projection axis extending from the scanning window of the holographic scanner and above the conveyor belt of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein singulated packages can be detected, dimensioned, weighed, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through a laser scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the input side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, for detecting and dimensioning singulated packages passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem is provided for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein a moving package tracking queue is maintained so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection subsystem is provided on the output side of its scanning tunnel subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the tunnel scanning subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by the subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read bar code symbol, as well as produced symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the plurality of laser scanning subsystems generated an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within a 3-D scanning volume, wherein a bar code symbol applied to any one side of a six-sided package (e.g. box) will be automatically scanned and decoded when passed through the 3-D scanning volume using the conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the laser scanning subsystems comprise holographic laser scanning subsystems, and also polygonal-type laser scanning subsystems for reading bar code symbols facing the conveyor surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector (or segment) produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each non-holographic (e.g. polygonal-type) laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which mirror facet or mirror sector produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package detected by the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem is provided for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking (i.e. correlating) package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from the package detection and dimensioning subsystem through the laser scanning tunnel subsystem of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using a pair of spaced-apart laser beams projected over the conveyor so that when a package interrupts these laser beams, electrical pulses are automatically generated and processed using a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of each and every package transported along the conveyor belt subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures arranged to transmit a plurality of light beams along a direction parallel to the conveyor belt in order to collect data and measure the height of each singulated package passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and a second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures arranged to transmit a plurality of light beams along a direction perpendicular to the conveyor belt in order to collect data and measure the width of each singulated package passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem further comprises a height data processor for processing arrays of height profile data collected from the first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect stacked arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and width data processor for processing arrays of width profile data collected from the second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect side-by-side arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, an d upon detecting either a stacked configuration of packages or a side-by-side configuration of packages, automatically generating an unique data element indicative of such multiple package arrangements along the conveyor belt, and placing this unique data element in the moving package tracking queue in the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem so that this subsystem can cause an auxiliary subsystem to reroute such multiple packages through a singulation unit and then return to pass once again through the system of the present invention.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing singulated packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein singulated packages can be detected, dimensioned, weighed, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through a laser scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the input side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, for detecting and dimensioning singulated packages passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem is provided for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein a moving package tracking queue is maintained so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection subsystem is provided on the output side of its scanning tunnel subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the tunnel scanning subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by the subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read bar code symbol, as well as produced symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol. Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the plurality of laser scanning subsystems generated an omnidirectional laser scanning pattern within a 3-D scanning volume, wherein a bar code symbol applied to any one side of a six-sided package (e.g. box) will be automatically scanned and decoded when passed through the 3-D scanning volume using the conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the laser scanning subsystems comprise holographic laser scanning subsystems, and also polygonal-type laser scanning subsystems for reading bar code symbols facing the conveyor surface.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each holographic laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which holographic scanning facet or holographic facet sector (or segment) produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein each non-holographic (e.g. polygonal-type) laser scanning subsystem employed in the tunnel scanning subsystem comprises a device for generating information specifying which mirror facet or mirror sector produced the laser scan data used to read any bar code symbol by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package detected by the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem is provided for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking (i.e. correlating) package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from the package detection and dimensioning subsystem through the laser scanning tunnel subsystem of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using an roller wheel engaged in direct contact with the conveyor belt as it moves, generating electrical pulses as an optical encoder attached to the shaft of the roller wheel is caused to complete one revolution, during which the conveyor belt traveled one linear foot, and counting these generated electrical pulses with reference to a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of the conveyor belt, and thus each and every package transported therealong without slippage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a laser scanning mechanism that generates an amplitude modulated laser scanning beam that is scanned across the width of the conveyor structure in the package conveyor subsystem while the scanning beam is disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor structure, and light reflected from scanned packages is collected, detected and processed to produce information representative of the package height profile across the width of the conveyor structure for each timing sampling instant carried out by the package detection and dimension subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem further comprises a height data processor for processing arrays of height profile data collected from the first pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect stacked arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and width data processor for processing arrays of width profile data collected from the second pair of light transmitting and receiving structures in order to detect side-by-side arrangements of packages transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and upon detecting either a stacked configuration of packages or a side-by-side configuration of packages, automatically generating a unique data element indicative of such multiple package arrangements along the conveyor belt, and placing this unique data element in the moving package tracking queue in the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem so that this subsystem can cause an auxiliary subsystem to reroute such multiple packages through a singulation unit and then returned to pass once again through the system of the present invention.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing singulated packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information for assignment to each detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an automated package identification and measuring system, wherein multiple packages, arranged in a side-by-side, stacked and/or singulated configuration, can be simultaneously detected, dimensioned, weighed, and identified in a fully automated manner without human intervention, while being transported through a laser scanning tunnel subsystem using a package conveyor subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the input side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, for simultaneously detecting and dimensioning multiple packages passing through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem employs multiple moving package tracking queues simultaneously maintained therein for spatially different regions above the conveyor belt so order that data objects, representative of packages detected in such spatially different regions, can be produced and tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem is provided for queuing, handling and processing data elements representative of package identification, dimensions and/or weight, and wherein multiple moving package tracking queues are simultaneously maintained for spatially different regions above the conveyor belt so that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages entering the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a multiple package detection and dimensioning subsystem is provided on the output side of its scanning tunnel subsystem, and multiple moving package tracking queues are simultaneously maintained therein for spatially different regions above the conveyor belt in order that data elements comprising objects, representative of detected packages exiting the scanning tunnel, can be tracked along with dimensional and measurement data collected on such detected packages.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the tunnel scanning subsystem provided therein comprises a plurality of laser scanning subsystems, and each such laser scanning subsystem is capable of automatically generating, for each bar code symbol read by the subsystem, accurate information indicative of the precise point of origin of the laser scanning beam and its optical path to the read the bar code symbol, as well as symbol character data representative of the read bar code symbol.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a scan beam geometry modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol for which symbol character data has been produced by the laser scanning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a first homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each laser scanning beam used to read a particular bar code symbol on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a package surface modeling subsystem for producing, relative to a local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, coordinate information comprising a geometric model of each surface on each package detected by the package detection and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the data element queuing, handling and processing subsystem provided therein further comprises a second homogeneous transformation module for converting the coordinate information comprising the geometric model of each surface on a detected package, from the local coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the laser scanning subsystem, to a global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the tunnel-type scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a laser scan beam and package surface intersection determination subsystem is provided for determining which detected package was scanned by the laser scanning beam that read a particular bar code symbol, and for linking (i.e. correlating) package measurement data associated with the detected package with package identification data associated with the laser scanning beam that read a bar code symbol on a detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system with a package velocity measurement subsystem for measuring the velocity of the package as it moves from the package detection and dimensioning subsystem through the laser scanning tunnel subsystem of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package velocity measurement subsystem is realized using an roller wheel engaged in direct contact with the conveyor belt as it moves, generating electrical pulses as an optical encoder attached to the shaft of the roller wheel is caused to complete one revolution, during which the conveyor belt traveled one linear foot, and counting these generated electrical pulses with reference to a clock in order to compute the instantaneous velocity of the conveyor belt, and this each and every package transported therealong without slippage.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a laser scanning mechanism that generates an amplitude modulated laser scanning beam that is scanned across the width of the conveyor structure in the package conveyor subsystem while the scanning beam is disposed substantially perpendicular to the surface of the conveyor structure, and light reflected from scanned packages is collected, detected and processed to produce information representative of the package height profile across the width of the conveyor structure for each timing sampling instant carried out by the package detection and dimension subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein the package detection and dimensioning subsystem provided on the input side of the laser scanning tunnel subsystem comprises a stereoscopic camera subsystem which captures stereoscopic image pairs of packages being transported through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and also a real-time stereoscopic image processor which is programmed to detect multiple images present in the field of view of stereoscopic imaging subsystem, and compute the vertices and dimensions of each such detected package.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a system, wherein a package weighing-in-motion subsystem is provided for weighing simultaneously weighing each package, or arrangement of side-by-side and/or stacked packages moving through the package detection and dimensioning subsystem, and producing weight measurement information. for assignment to each detected package, or apportioned to each arrangement of side-by-side and/or stacked packages, based on relative volumetric measurements.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tunnel-type scanning system, wherein bar code symbols downwardly facing the conveyor belt can be automatically scanned as they are transported through the system in a high-speed manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel corner-mounted laser scanning system which uses at least two (2) pairs of opposed VLD/scanning stations in order to produce an orthogonal set of raster-type scan patterns projected over a conveyor belt structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a corner-mounted laser scanning system, wherein its laser scanning pattern has at least three depth-of-field (DOF) regions, identifiable as DOF1, DOF2 and DOF3, which are neither overlapping nor contiguous.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a corner-mounted laser scanning system, which can read bar codes on the front of items on a conveyor belt when the bar codes are generally in a picket fence orientation (i.e. bar elements are arranged vertically relative to the conveyor belt surface) or ladder orientation (i.e. the bar elements are arranged horizontally relative to the conveyor belt surface), or nearly so.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a bar code symbol scanning system which is designed to be installed on side of the conveyor belt, so that the focused spot size normal to the beam is considerably smaller than the minimum resolution element of the bar code to be scanned.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a complete omni-directional scanning system, wherein the scanning pattern comprises a n orthogonal set of laser scanning, including vertical or horizontal oriented rastered sets of laser scanning planes for reading bar code symbols having either a picket fence orientation or a ladder orientation, respectively.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel laser scanning system, comprising a set of scanners that are placed at an angle close to 45 degrees relative to the direction of item travel so as to assure that that at least one scanner can read bar codes on item surfaces that are facing in the direction of item travel and also toward the side of the conveyor belt, while minimizing the shadow effect yet ensuring good reading on the front surfaces.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, which further comprises side scanners that can read bar codes placed on the sides of items, rather than of on the front sides thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the laser scan lines are optimally separated and tilted to assure that at least one scanner can read bar codes that are not in perfect picket fence or ladder orientations, yet provide some small degree of omni-directional scanning.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the relatively small focused spot of the laser scanning beam, required by the tilt of the scanner, reduces the depth of field for each focal group of the multiple-focal-plane scanning system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the depth of field regions of the individual focal groups (DOF1, DOF2, DOF3) do not need to be contiguous due to the fact that the scanner is mounted at an angle off to the side of the conveyor belt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the laser scanning lines in each focal groups are carefully separated to guarantee reading across the desired scan width while using only three focal zones, whereas in contrast, when using contiguous, or overlapping, focal zones would require as many as seven focal zones.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the laser scanning pattern produced thereby has a reduced number of focal zones to produce a scan pattern that is denser and which results in more effective scanning of bar code symbols on the front and back surfaces of objects.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein each corner-located scanner is a holographic scanning subsystem having a laser scanning disc having twenty-one scanning facets which produce seven scan lines in each focal group.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel method of analyzing the laser scanning pattern produced by a pair of corner-based laser scanners.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method of laser scan pattern analysis, wherein a complete picture of the effectiveness of a proposed scan pattern (called a time-lapsed composite xe2x80x9cscan coverage plotxe2x80x9d) is composed by taking multiple exposures of the item surface as it progresses through the scan volume.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a method, wherein the x-axis of the scan coverage plot is the dimension parallel to the belt width, and the y-axis thereof is the height dimension for a box being scanned through the scan volume.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel laser scanning system which uses different optics in the laser beam production modules associated with the four laser scanning stations that generate the two sets of horizontally oriented scanning planes, and the two laser scanning stations that generate the two sets of vertically oriented scanning planes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the nominal (normal to the scanning beam) resolution of the horizontal scan lines is greater than that of the vertical lines to compensate for the elongation of the horizontal scan lines in the direction of scan at the label.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the vertical scan lines are also elongated, but not in the scan direction.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein the beam diameter at the disk is greater for the horizontal VLD stations than for the vertical VLD stations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein different optics are used for the two sets of stations in order to optimize the performance of the two sets of scan lines.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel corner-mounted laser scanning system, for use in reading bar code symbols on tubs and trays moving along a conveyor belt, as well as a xe2x80x9ctrainxe2x80x9d in which cars have bar codes placed on the front or back surfaces thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel xe2x80x9ccornerxe2x80x9d scanner that produces a laser scanning pattern that is predisposed to reading codes in orthogonal orientations, in contrast with conventional Omni, Raster, or Linear scanning patterns.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning t pattern, wherein the scanlines in the laser scanning pattern generated therefrom are not necessarily orthogonal to the scan codes.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein a definite degree of angular tolerance is provided, so that bar codes scanned at plus or minus 20 degrees of code orientation pose no problem during decoding with or without stitching).
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a laser scanning system, wherein optimal scanning occurs for bar code symbols oriented at about +/xe2x88x9210 degrees off the ladder or picket fence orientation of the system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a corner-mounted laser scanning system that is designed to read mainly ladder and picket fence orientation labels on the front (or back) of tubs and trays on a moving conveyor belt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a corner-mounted laser scanning system which projects over a conveyor belt, a laser scanning pattern that is optimized for reading bar code symbols on surfaces that are oriented at about 45 degrees to the nominal direction of propagation of the laser scanning beams, unlike prior art scanners that have been optimized for reading bar code symbols on surfaces that are oriented at about 90 degrees to the nominal direction of propagation of the laser scanning beams.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a LADAR-based package imaging and dimensioning subsystem for imaging and/or profiling packages transported thereby a substantially constant velocity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein a synchronized amplitude-modulated laser beam is automatically produced and scanned across the width of a conveyor belt structure and, during each scan thereacross, detects and processes the reflected laser beam in order to capture a row of raw range (and optionally reflection-intensity) information that is referenced with respect to a polar-type coordinate system symbolically-embedded within the LASAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein captured rows of range data are continuously loaded into a preprocessing data buffer, one row at a time, and processed in real-time using window-type convolution kernels that smooth and edge-detect the raw range data and thus improve its quality for subsequent dimension data extraction operations.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein detected background information (including noise) is automatically subtracted from consecutively captured rows of smoothed/edge-detected range data to provide a range data map of the space above the conveyor belt, for use in carrying out package dimension data extraction operations involving the same.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein two-dimensional image contour tracing techniques are used to detect image contours within the buffered range data map, indicative of packages being transported thereby.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem automatically processes the indices (m,n) of the computed contours in order to detect possible vertices associated with polygonal-shaped objects extracted from the range data map, which are representative of packages or like objects being transported by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein the m and n indices of the vertices associated with the computed contours are automatically processed in order to detect candidates for corner points associated with the corners of packages transported by the subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein the m and n indices of detected corner point candidates are automatically processed in order to reduce those corner point candidates down to those most likely to be the corners of a regular-shaped polygonal object (e.g. six sided box).
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein the m and n indices of the corner points extracted from the range data map are automatically processed in order to compute the surface area of the package represented by the contours traced therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein the m and n indices of the corner points extracted from the range data map are automatically processed in order to compute the x, y and z coordinates corresponding to the corners of the package represented by the contours traced therein, referenced relative to a Cartesian-type global coordinate reference system symbolically embedded within the automated package identification and measuring subsystem.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein the m and n indices of the corner points extracted from the range data map are automatically processed in order to compute the average height of the package represented by the contours traced therein, referenced relative to the Cartesian-type global coordinate reference system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein a polygonal-type laser scanning mechanism is used to scan an amplitude-modulated laser beam across the width of the conveyor belt.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a LADAR-based imaging and dimensioning subsystem, wherein a holographic-type laser scanning mechanism is used to scan an amplitude-modulated laser beam across the width of the conveyor belt.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent hereinafter and in the Claims to Invention.